Roller leveler



April 26, 1932- c. EKSERGIAN ROLLER LEVELER Filed April 3, 1929 6Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR:

CL euon Ehrergz'an.

.................. a ww.

' ATTORNEY.

April 1932- c. L EKSERGIAN 1,855,709

ROLLER LEVELER Filed April 3, 1 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

C. Levon Elrserqzaw,

- A TTORNE Y.

R m m F. MW 4 pril 26, 1932.

April 1932- c. L. EKSERGIAN 1,855,709

ROLLER LEVELER F led Aprll 3, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 x w :1: 1?

CLevonEk I} BY H F3396: M fi a April 26, 1932. c EKSERGIAN 1,855,709

ROLLER LEVELER Filed April 3, 9 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 z i 52 I A 2 1 WA R E g64 g Z19 j lf azov :5

INVENTOR:

C. LEVon 25251812721711;

A TTORNEY.

' chine of the type shown in the Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT oFncE OABOIUS LEVON EKSEBGIAN, OF DETROIT, ABBIGNOB '10 EDWARD G.BUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 01 PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A OOBPORA-TION OF PENNSYLVANIA ROLLER LEYELEB Application filed April 8, 1929.Serial N0. 852,802.

My invention relates to a roller leveling maprior Patent No. 1,649,706granted to G. L. Kelley and myself on November 15, 1927.

It is air-object of my iIIVBIltlOIIiO generally improve the automaticoperation of a machine of this type, to increase the life of themachine, to speedup the production without subjecting the movable partsto undue shock or strain, to incorporate safety features into themachine to guard against prolonged holding up of the machine forrepalrsg to provide a. machine more flexible in operat on and morereadily adaptable to the regulat on and control of the work, and moreprecise, positive, durable, and efficient in operation than the machinesof this type as heretofore constructed.

The features by which these objects and other objects are attained willbecome apparent from the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, and will be pointed out in claims appended at the end ofthe specification.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine embodying myinvention and the drive therefor with parts of the base frame brokenaway;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view, thesection belng taken in the central longitudinal vertical pianesof themachine approximately onthe.

line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a porp tion of the front of themachine, showing the relation bet-ween the automatic control and safetyswitch mechanisms and the draft or pinch rolls.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail longitudinal ver-- tical sectional views takenapproximately on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 4 and show ing,respectively,.the automatic control and safety-switch mechanisms.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the relay mechanism controlling themovements of the working element or brake roll. 1

Figs. 8 and 9 are further detail views of the control and motormechanism of the brake roll, Fig. 8 being a plan view of the right-handside the motor operatin cylinder and associated parts, and

Fig. '9 a ongitudinal sectional view through control circuits employedin connection with the present invention.

The machine embod ing the invention comprises a suitable base rame 10,upon the lefthand side of which, Fig. 1, is mounted the roller levelermechanism pro r, and on the sion mechanism T for driving the rolls.

The roller leveler proper consists of the usual upper and lower seriesof straightening rolls 12 between which the sheet is passed after itpasses through the working rolls at the front of the machine. The lowerseries is supported in upper side frame members 13 secured to the baseframe and the upper series, which is arranged, as usual, in staggeredrelation to the lower series in the direction in which the sheet is fedthrough the machine,'is mounted in adjustably mounted end frames 14, asusual, to permit adjustment of the upper series of rolls toward or fromthe lower series.

.At the front end of the series of staggered rolls, are mounted the twopairs of draft or inch rolls 16 which are adapted to grip the sheet fedbetween them with sufficient force to prevent it from slippage withrespect thereto, under the action of the working or brake roll 17. Toprovide for the ready assembly or dis-assembly of these rolls with theside members 13 of the machine, the latter are provided with the spacedguidingand retaining slots '18 open at the top,in which the bearingblocks 19 of the rolls are guided and retained'and through the openupper ends of which the rolls and blocks may be readily removed orinserted.

In a forwardly projecting portion of the side frame members 13 aremounted a pair of hold down rolls 20, spaced from the pinch andtransmisrolls a distance sufiicient to permit the brake roll 17 to riseup between them to give the sheet passing between the pinch and holddown rolls the proper amount of working. These rolls are spaced (seeFig. 6) a distance slightl greater than the thickness of the sheets ingfed to permit the sliding of .the sheet between the rolls, both when itis originally fed to bring it into operative engagement with the pinchrolls, and also when it is subsequently engaged by the brake roll 17. Aguidejplate 21 ides the sheets being fed to the rolls 20. T ese rollsare longitudinall offset in the direction of movement of the sheet, theupper roll being in advance of the lower, this offsetting having twopurposes, to avoid a heavy drag of the sheet on the guide when it isengaged by the brake roll which might result in the marring of the sheetand causing rapid wear of the guide plate, and also, to obtain a sharperbending of the sheet around the upper roll, when the brake roll rises,which enables the sheets to be more strongly worked.

The brake roll 17 also has its ends mounted in sliding blocks 22 movableguides 23 in the frame side members 13, which are'also open at the toptopermit eas removal of the brakle roll and its mounting locks, whendesire It is actuated from a shaft 24 journalled in the front of atransverse frame member 25. The ends of this shaft are provided withcrank arms 26 which are connected by links 27 to the sliding bearingblocks 22 for the roll. 7 At an intermediate portion theshaft isprovided with a crank arm 28 connected by a link 29 extending throughan'opening in the frame member to the actuating motor and controlmechanism M removably mounted as a unit on the base, and removable andinsertable as a unit from and into the frame through an opening at therear thereof.

This motor and control mechanism embodying a number of novel improvedfeatures will now be described. The mechanism is shown most clearly inFigs. 8, 9 and 10. The mo-' tor mechanism comprises a casting 30 havinga widened base portion adapted to be secured to the main base of themachine and a compressed-air operated cylinder 31 in which operates thetwo-part piston 32, 32. The part 32 of the two part piston is threadedly"mounted on the piston rod 33, the one end of which is connected to thepiston part 32 and the other end to a cross head 34 slidable in aguideway 35 on the opposite end of thecasting 30 from cylinder 31. Thecross head 34 is connected to the arm 28 of the brake roll operatingshaft through the link 29 already referred to. In Fig. 9, the two parts32, 32 of the piston are together so that the piston has its longeststroke. By this construction of piston and cylinder I am able to makeuse of the same not only for controlling hasaloose fit within theregulation of the cus ioning means, all of which renders the machinemore flexible and adaptable for various kinds and conditions of work andoperation.

The piston art 32' has a sleeve 36 extending throu h t e stufiing box inthe head of the cylin er and some distance beyond and this sleeve hassecured to the end thereof a gear 37, this gear meshing with anelongated pinion 38 on countershaft 39 paralleling the piston rod andsleeve 36. A sprocket wheel 40 is secured to the shaft, through which itis connected to be operated from the hand wheel 41 at the front of themachine by means of a chain 42 connectin the sprocket '40 with asprocket (not shown% on the-hand wheel shaft.

' Throu h the mechanism just described the distance etween piston parts32 and 32' can be adjusted from the front of the machine to vary the lenh of the working stroke. The workin stro e of the piston and the workingrol is also cushioned at its end, regardless of the len h of the stroke,by using the front end of t e cylinder as a dash pot, and the movementof the piston is dually brought to a stop by a gradual closing of thesmal orifice or orifices through ,which the air in front of the pistonmust escape. One way in which this gradual checking can be effected is,by the provision of a series of small orifices 43 arranged helicallyaround the end of the cylinder,so that they are successively closed bythe piston approachin the end of its stroke. I desired, certain o theorifices can be rendered inoperative by inserting screw plugs therein toclose them. By this means a variable cushion effect can be obtained.

I also provide for a cushionin turn or down stroke of the roll 1 underthe action of avit by making use of the exhaust air om t eback of thepiston 32, 32'. Through the exhaust ort 44 from the relay valvemechanism R, ig. 7; which is entirely similar to that shown anddescribed in the atent hereinbefore referred to, the air is ed b aconduit 45 to a small cylinder 46 secure alongside main cylinder 31. Theends ofthe cylinder 46 are 0 en and a piston 47 bore of the cylinder,

and is operated in unison with the piston 32,

32', by-the connection of its rod 48 to an arm 49 bolted to thecrosshead 34.

The piston 47 is of a length and is so related to the port entering thecylinder from exhaust conduit 45 that it does not block this port duringthe major ortion of the return or down stroke of the rake roll, but inthe of the re- I the diagram last of its return, the valve closes theport thereby cushioning the stroke through the imprisoned air, but,because of its loose fit in the cylinder, it allows the imprisoned airfor adj ustably regulating the admission of air to the cylinder and thuscontrol the speed of the working stroke of the brake roll and the speedof the operation of the machine in ac cordance with the re uirements ofthe work being operated on. uch means consists of two parallel conduits,one an exhaust conduit 48 of relatively large diameter, which exhauststhe air very rapidly from the cylinder and thus permits a rapid returnof the brake roll, and the other as a conduit 49 of smaller diametercontrolled by a spigot or choke valve 50. A choke valve 51 preventspassage of the air through the exhaust conduit 48 while the roll isbeing raised. When the speed of rise of the roll is to be varied, thevalve 50 is adjusted.

The speed adjusting valve 50 may be controlled from the front of themachine to shut off the conduit either partially or entirely through thehandle 51, Fig. 1, connected to the valve by suitable intermediateconnections, including the shaft 5O on which the handle is mounted, andconnecting rod 50 connecting a crank arm 50 on the s aft with the valve50.

The operation of the relay valve R is controlled by electrical controlcircuits, the op- I crating circuit of which has in seriestherewith theelectro-magnet 52. The 'energization of this electro-magnet, operates asmall valve, not shown, to admit air to operate the mam valve 53 of theair relay mechanism, in the same manner as in the prior patent abovereferred to.

As in the prior patented construction, the main control circuitincluding the electro magnet 52 is completed by the passage of a sheetthrough the machine, but as shown in of Fig. 12, I provide a wider rangeof control by the selector switch panel S, the automatic control switchT and the safety switch W. In the drawings leads for the high voltageline for running the electrical motor M for driving the rolls aredesignated 53 and 54 and the leads from the low voltage battery circuitby 55 and 56. The hold down rolls 20 are insulated from the machine andthe guide 21 is grounded with the machine. The pinch rolls 16 aregrounded. 1

Now assume the battery switch 57 closed and the switch 58 thrown to thedot and dash line position shown. The circuit including the battery 59and electro-magnet 52 is then open at two points, between hold downrolls and pinch rolls and at the automatic control relay mechanism toadmit air to the cylinder and raise the brake roll through its workingstroke until the sheet has entered between the first pair of pinchrolls.

To this end, the automatic switch T consists of a bell crank leverpivoted at 60 having a very short arm 60 and ,a comparatively long arm61 carrying a contact point 63 adjacent its outer end. The short arm isadapted to bear upon the top of the upper roll 16 of the first pair ofpinch rolls through a roller contact 62, being continually urged to thisposition by a spring 63'. Opposed to the contact point 63 is a springpressed contact finger 64 urged in one direction, i. e. toward contact63 by a spring 65, but adapted to be adjusted with reference to saidcontact by an adjusting screw 66 and locked in place by a lock nut 67.This contact mechanism is insulated from the machine by being mountedonsuitably insulated supports. With the distance between contacts 63 and64 properly adjusted. the circuit is open at this point when the pinchrolls are running idly, but as soon as a sheet enters between the rolls,the upper roll is slightly raisedwhich turns the lever 60, 61 around itspivot and, because of the great difference in the length of the arms,moves the contact point a relatively greater distance, to close thecircuit. The brake roll will now be lifted to its working position andthe circuit will be maintained closed until the sheet leaves the holddown rolls. This operative position of the parts is shown in Fig. 5.

.If it is desired to subject the sheets being worked to action of theworking roll to the very end of the sheets, the selective switch 58 isthrown to the dotted line position, and another-circuit including thebattery and electromagnet but not including the hold down rolls as anelement thereof will be closed but only when the automatic controlswitch T is closed by the entry of the sheet between the first pair ofpinch rolls 16.

If the contacts 63, 64 should happen to be wrongly adjusted to eachother, so that the circuit is normally closed at the automatic controlswitch, when the switch 58 is at its dotted line position, the operatingcircuit through electromagnet and battery would be closed and the brakeroll held in raised position, which would prevent feeding a new sheet tothe pinch rolls and thus call the attention of the operator to the factthat the the circuit is not completed to operate the switch points 63and 64 might possibly need adjustment. \n I The safety switch mechanismW is adapted to simultaneously open-both the high voltage 5 circuit forrunning the rolls 12, 16 of the ,machine and the batte circuit forcontrolling the operation'of't e brake roll 17., It comprises a pivotedswitch arm carrying knife switch contacts for cooperating with opposedrelatively stationary contacts. See Fig. 6. The switcharm is pivoted at-22' adjacent the upper one of the first pair of pinch rolls and hasa-short arm 65 curved around the roll and having its end extend down inthe space between the upper rolls 16 of the pairs of indi rolls.Pivotally carried by the end of t e short arm 65' is a feeler member 66which extends down between the rolls and substantially fills the spacebetween the rolls at their point of closest approach.

The urpose of this arrangement will be made cliaar b the following: In amachine of this class it sometimes happens that after the front edge ofa sheethas passed the first pair of pinch rolls'in its passage throughthe machine, it will curl up and instead of passing between the nextpair of pinch rolls, 1t will pass upwardly between the pinch rolls, andif the machine isnot stopped, it may wrap itself around the roll untilthe roll and sheet are welded together, and the machine has to be takendown and the roll .reground. The novel safety switch construction isdesigned to stop the machine, in such event, before any damage can bedone. As soon as the front edge of such recalcitrant sheet engages thefeeler member 66, it will press it u wardly, swingthe switch arm 65 onits pivot to the dotted line, Fig. 6, and open both the main highvoltage line and the battery circuit, to bring the machine to a completestop. The switch arm 65 is also'provided at its up er end with a handleto permit its manua operation, if desired;

For convenience in installation and operation, the switch arms arelocated on a bracket 68 secured to the front of the frame of themachine. This bracket is adjustably secured to permit proper location ofthe short arms of the switch leverswith relation to the pinch rollsthrough the slot and screw connection 69.

To secure an even and firm grippin of the pinch rolls 16 upon a sheetbeing ed, the opposed rolls are forced toward each other under highpressure when a sheet is located between them, thus firmly gripping thesheet throughout its width and exerting an even eflort thereon,preventing slippage. According to my invention, I am able to readilyadjust-this pressure to adapt the rolls for different thicknesses ofsheets, and also to so regulate the pressure means that a large partthereof is not active during the idle running of the rolls, therebyavoiding unnecessary wear on the rolls, yet insuring the presence ofadequate pressure when the rolls are op- -eratin on asheet. To preventdeflection of bottoms of these seats being parallel to the lo itudinala'iiis of the mac he and the genera direction of travel of the sheetsthrough the machine. Coo crating with these seats are the knife edges 2,supported on the deep transverse beam member 25 of the base frame. Theseseats and knife edges are of a length to positively preclude any lon'tudinal tilting of the bearing cages 7 0, an conse uently any relativevertlcal displacement of t e two pairs of pinch rolls.

Above the rolls 16 and arranged in opposed relation to the lower bearingcages 70, are similar bearing cages 73 carrying rolls 73' and connectedby an equalizer bar 74, having its central portion de ressed and forminga socket 75 'to receive t e end of the pressure applying means and itsouter ends hearing centrally upon the cages 73 through ball bearings 76; I

The pressure applyin and adjusting means are mounted upon a heavy archedpressure bridge 77 seated and firmly secured down upon the opposite sideframe members 13. A pressure head 78 is mounted centrally upon thebridge, this pressure head carrying a heavy pressure applying pin 79guided by an opening 80 in the bridge 77, and having its lower roundedend seated in the central socket 75 of the equalizer bar 74. A suitablewear resisting plate 81 may be inserted between the end of the pin andthe bottom of the socket.

The main pressure is transmitted to the pin 79 by a powerful coil spring82 which acts through a collared sleeve 83 threaded to an intermediatethreaded portion of the pin, one end of the spring bearing upon thecollar of the sleeve and the other end bearing against the pressure head78. To vary the tension of the spring 82 the pressure head is verticallyadjustable. To tlns end it is mounted upon two heavy studs 84 projectingupwardly from the bridge 77 on opposite sides of the pin 79, theirupperthreaded ends extending through the head, and being engaged by nuts85, rotatably but non-translatably mounted in the head. The nuts areprovided on their peripheries with worm wheels 86, which are, in turn,engaged by worms (concealed) on a worm shaft 88 operatable by a largehand wheel 89. Thus operation ofthe hand wheel will adjust the head upor down to vary the tension of the sprin 82.

When t e parts are properly adjusted and the rolls are running idle, thecollar on the sleeve 83 is bottomed on the recess in the bridgereceiving it, and the full tension of the spring is not transmitted tothe pin. The only pressure applied to the rolls at such times is therelatively small pressure, which can be supplied by turning the smallmanually-operated hand wheel 90 secured to the pro jecting upper end ofthe pin. This is purposely made small, so that excessive pressure cannotbe applied. This reduced pressure is applied when the-sleeve, which isnon-rotatably mounted in the head 78 is bottomed, to insure thatsubstantially the full pressure of the spring 82 will be applied When asheet is fed between the rolls and a proper tractive efiect obtained.When the pin has been properly adj Listed by the hand wheel 90'it may belocked in such adjusted position by the lock nut 91 engaging thethreaded upper end of the pin and the end of the sleeve.

It will be seen that the entire pressure means including the head 78,pin 79, sleeve spring 82 and sleeve 83 may be readily bodily removed andreplaced as a unit, when desired, thus aifording easy access to theparts for replacement or repair.

From the foregoing detailed description,

it is believed that the operation of the machine as a whole will beapparent, and further description of its operation is believedunnecessary. It will be seen that I have provided a machine which isvery compactly arranged, in which the various parts are readilyaccessible, and replaceable or repairable if the need arises, in whichthe control of the machine is centralized at the front of the machine.and which is adapted for a wide variety of work, and for automaticallyturning out the work, when adjusted for a given condition, at a veryrapid rate. The various novel features and combinations which contributeto the general efficiency, ruggedness and adaptability of the machineare particularl pointed out in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A roller leveler machine comprising two pairs of pinch rolls providedwith backing rolls, a seat parallel to the plane passing through theaxis of two of said rolls on the same side of the path of a sheetthrough the rolls, a cradle for carrying the backing rolls for saidpinch rolls and having a knife edge support on said seat and extendingtransversely of said pinch rolls to prevent tilting of the same.

2. A roller leveler machine comprising a pair of opposed pinch rolls anda pair of hold down rolls spaced therefrom, and a sheet bending elementadapted to be moved transversely of the path of a sheet extended betweensaid rolls for giving said sheet a loop bend, said hold-down rolls beingaxially offset from each other, with the upper roll nearest the pinchrolls.

3. A roller leveler machine comprising a pair of pinch rolls, a sheetbending element adapted to be moved transversely to the path of a sheetbeing fed to the machine, means for so moving said sheet responsivetothe displacement of one of said pinch rolls due to the entry of thesheet between said rolls.

4. A. roller leveler machine comprising a pair of pinch rolls betweenwhich a sheet is adapted to pass, a sheet bending element adapted to bemoved transversely to the path of said sheetQmeans for so moving saidbending means after the sheet has been entered between the pinch rolls,and means operative to cause a stoppage of said moving means and themachine should a sheet start to wrap around a pinch roll.

5. A roller leveler machine comprising a pair of opposed pinch rolls,means for backmg said rolls to apply pressure to said opposed rolls,said means normally applying relatively light pressure during idlemovement of the rolls, but rendered operative automatically upon theentry of a sheet between said rolls to apply heavy pressure.

6. A roller leveler machine comprising a pair of pinch rolls, hold downrolls spaced therefrom, a sheet bending element movable between saidspaced rolls transversely to the path of the sheet, means for rapidlyapproaching and receding said element from its operative position, andmeans for gradually checkingsaid movement at the end of each stroke.

7. A roller leveler machine comprising a sheet bending element movabletransversely to the path of the sheet being worked, a fluid-actuatedmeans for moving said element in its operating stroke, including afluid-check for cushioning the final part of said stroke.

8..A roller leveler machine comprising a sheet bending element movabletransversely to the path of the sheet being worked, a fluid-pressuremeans including as elements thereof, a piston and cylinder for movingsaid'element to its operative position, one of said fluid-pressureelements being adjustable to vary the length of stroke of said bendingelement.

9. A roller leveling machine comprising a sheet bending element movabletransversely to the path of a sheet being worked, fluidpressure meansfor moving said sheet into its operative position, including a pistonand cylinder, said piston bein adjustable to vary the length of stroke,311C forming part of means for cushioning the final portion of saidstroke.

10. A roller leveling machine comprising a sheet bending element movabletransversely to the path of a sheet being worked,'fiuidpressure meansfor moving said sheet into its operative position, means for exhaustingsaid fluid under pressure to permit the element to return'rapidly toinoperative positiveupon removalof the sheet of material tion, and meansfor automatically throttling -from between said pinch rolls.

the exhaust near the end of said-return movement to cushion the same.

11. A roller leveler machine comprism a air of opposed pinch rolls and apair of he down r0 bending element adapted to be moved transversel ofthe path-of the sheet which 1s exio tenae sheet a loop bend, said holddown rolls bein positioned one above the other, the axis o l the upperhold-down roll bein positioned closer to the plane of the-oppose pinchrolls 7 than the axis of the lower hold-down roll.

1 12. A roller leveler machine comprisin a pair of opgosed pinch rolls,means norma y urging sai rolls against each other to apply heavypressure to a sheet of material inserted m therebetween and means forrendering said pressure applyin means partially inoperative upon removaof the sheet from between said pinch rolls.

13. A rolle'rvleveler machine comprising a as pair of opposed pinchrolls, a cradle having 4 rolls mounted therein and means associated withthe cradle normally urging said pinch rolls towards each other to applyheavy ressure thereto when a sheet of material so 1s insertedtherebetween, a. stationary support and a projection on said lastmentioned means adapted to engage said support when the sheet is removedfro'm between' the pinch rolls for relieving the pressure of the same onthe opposed rolls.

"14. In. combination with a roller leveler machine comprisin a sheetbending element movable transverse y'to'the path of the sheet ls spacedtherefrom and a sheet between said rolls for giving said .being worked,of a fluid pressure means ine o cludmg as elements thereof a piston andcylinder for moving said element to its operative position, said pistonbeing adjustable to vary the length of stroke and forming a part ofmeans for cushioning the final'por- '45 tion of said stroke, and meansexternally of the cylinder and remote from the same for adjusting saidiston.

15. A roller eveler machine comprising a pair of opposed pinch rolls,unitary removable means normally urging said rolls against each other toapply heavy pressure to a sheet of material inserted. therebetween,including means for adjusting the amount of pressure between the rollsand means for rendering sald pressure applying means partiallyinoperative upon removal of the sheet from between said pinch rolls.

l6. A roller leveler machine comprisin a pair of opposed pinch rolls,means norma 1y urging said rolls against each other to apply heavypressure to a sheet of material inserted therebetween, meansforregulating the amount ofpressure between said pinch rolls andadjustable means for rendering. said 55 pressure applying meanspartially inoperac. LEVON EKSERGIAN.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. I

